Sustainability is part of our strategy – let’s serve the whole of society!

Last week, the EU adopted more ambitious climate protection targets for 2030. By this target year, CO2 emissions are now to be reduced by at least 55% compared with 1990. Previously, a reduction in CO2 emissions of only 40 per cent was planned by 2030.

For us at T-Systems, sustainability is also very important. This is why we have made it part of our strategy and aim to be a leading sustainable IT provider. We want to make a significant contribution to lowering CO2-emissions, by speeding up our clients’ digitization journeys.

Digitization speeds up workflows, increasing flexibility and reducing costs for our clients. But most importantly for society: It’s a decarbonization program. This will only lead to a meaningful reduction in emissions if we also minimize our own carbon footprint. In close cooperation with DT’s Group Corporate Responsibility, our TSI Environmental Sustainability team is identifying where we need to progress and which levers to pull in 2021.

The obvious finding: the energy consumption of data centers is huge. But if that energy comes from renewable sources, we can minimize our environmental impact. From this year, our data centers in Germany will be powered from 100 percent renewable sources – in our own, as well as in external data centers. As a result, Open Telekom Cloud, running in Biere, has been recognized with the Deutsche Telekom “we care” label. We are also considering own production of energy. In general, this is of course an international effort. Despite local challenges – whether due to Corona or limited local opportunities for green energy sourcing – all Local Business Units and Points of Production have adopted plans to step up their use of renewables in 2021. 

Looking at our current footprint and our enablement potential, we have also started to conduct product impact analyses. As an example: Low Carbon Mobility Management is an app which helps drivers lower their fuel consumption by up to 15 percent. Decreasing CO2 and fine dust benefits public health and personal well-being. By the way: this product was also recently awarded the “we care” label!

Next year we will scale up this analysis of our different products, with a particular focus on client enablement. Expectations of IT-providers are high – it is our duty to leverage our capabilities to fight climate change. Our goal is to make sustainability a central consideration in design and decision processes. This includes our choice of suppliers and partners. We will take these steps together with clients, for example through Design Thinking Workshops, to address their major ecological challenges and to create additional product modules for our portfolio.

Let there be no doubt: the shift towards sustainability is unstoppable. Let’s serve the whole of society and the environment. #Peoplemakeithappen